lji

So I took mine in for some rattle issues (rear deck) and ended up getting a 2012 TL FWD w/ Tech as a loaner car (Silver with 3500 miles on it). A few things I noticed:

1) Interior Door Handles !! These are metal now compared to the plasticky ones in mine ('10). The door also opens from the inside with a weighty feel. Definitely loving this on the 2012's. I'm now wondering if I can swap mine with the 2012 interior door handles...

2) Feel of the center ring around main knob has been revised. The turn distance between each "click" seem to be reduced slightly. Mine also has a more "loose" feel to it (might be due to use).

3) A bit quieter than my SH-AWD. This is as Acura stated for the mid cycle refresh, but not to Lexus levels as there is still wind noise that creeps in on the highway.

4) Ride over bumps is more muted than my '10 SH-AWD. There is this series of highway joints that I commute over on the way from work and the 2012 FWD model went over those a bit more "soft" (so to speak)

5) I still like the aggressive styling on the 09-11 models compared to the elegance (as Acura calls it) of the current one.

I might find more differences, but these were the initial impressions...

JM2010 SH-AWD

I had a similar impression of the '12 FWD loaner I recently had. Quiet and smooth but still had a driver's car feel.

The 3.5 with the 6 speed auto was suprisingly punchy and the tranny shifted quickly.

The car I had a was a Tech. It did not have the contrasting stitching on the seats like mine has. Did Acura drop that for the '12 Tech models?

Overall, I was impressed with the FWD Tech. For the prices some have reported paying for this model, it's a hell of a lot of car for the money.

lji

A few more thoughts:

6) Navigation on the 2012's still does not show the new highway ramp connecting two freeways built a year and a half ago in my area. So, still not worth upgrading to the new navi disc for $99 (current price)....

7) When turning the car off, there is no mechanical sound (a good thing in my book). In mine, I always hear a slight thump when the start/stop button is pressed to turn the car off... Seems like there were a lot of imperceptible changes made for the 2012 refresh by Acura...

8) The auto tranny is not real smooth when downshifting like say, that of a Lexus. There is still some shift shock when the tranny changes, especially in S mode. Acura has come a long way, but there are still areas which they can improve to make the TL feel like a true luxury car.

But, as JM said above, still a whole lot of a car for the money...

Edward'TLS

This may be due to the higher profile tires used on the '12 FWD model.

'10 SH-AWD : 245/45/18
'12 FWD : 245/50/17

lji

^ Yes, and that the suspension on the SH models are setup for handling versus being comfort oriented on the base...

EazyRider562

The 2009 model that I have is alot better than the 2012 that I borrowed one time. So happy I have the 2009 and not a newer one, not sure what I'd do.

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

I noticed the interior finish, where it sweeps from the center console into the dash and into the doors is smooth in the 2012. My 2010 has a textured finish that I like much more.

lji

^ Didn't notice that... I just turned in the loaner this morning...

JM2010 SH-AWD

I noticed the same thing, and I agree with your view. Also, the car I drove was a Tech, but lacked the contrasting stitching on the seats, wheel and leather trim. Is that reserved for AWDs or did Acura omit that on the '12s?

ucf_bronco

iTrader: (1)

Seeing as you own a 6MT, you must be stoked to have it back! I've been without mine for a couple of extended periods of time and getting it back made me a very happy camper!

lji

The contrast stitching might be reserved for the AWD TL's.... Oh and yeah, I'm glad to have my 6MT back...

lji

So, my car's back at the dealership again as the rear deck rattle which was "fixed" is still there. They gave me an identical loaner car with just 130 miles on the clock (A silver 2012 TL FWD w/Tech).

This time around, since I figured I'm going to have the car for a few days, decided to pair my phone with the car. A few observations from when the phone is paired with the car via Bluetooth:

1) When I dial out from my phone, the hands free link system picks it up and I can talk via the HFL. On my 2010 TL, I've got to wait until the other person/answering machine picks up and then select "Transfer" from the cell phone menu.

Anyone know if there's an update for the 2009-2011 models regarding this?

2) When a call comes in, on the Nav screen it gives an option to pick up or hang up. Not a big deal as the buttons to pick up/hang up are right there on the steering wheel.

3) Where is the "Search Phonebook" Option on the 2012? This one drives me nuts. I use this frequently on my 2010 as I don't feel like scrolling through my entire phonebook and feel the search feature is faster..

This time around I made sure to notice the interior finish which swoops down both edges of the center console and the door are smoothed out like ucf_bronco mentioned. I like the textured finish on the 2009-2011 models as well.

I also noticed the excessive fan cycling when the A/C is on and the car in park. A few people here have complained about it and I do feel that the cycling is a bit excessive and loud. Only noticeable when standing outside with the car parked and the a/c running.

I'll post more differences when I find them

potmilkz

the finish on the trim is called dot matrix pattern

its something like this but without the gradient fade to black



i like it too, the flat silver finish is not to my liking.

lji

Something else that came to mind:

4) There is a timed auto answer feature for an incoming call. I think it's configurable to 5 secs, 10 secs, and 15 secs.

JM2010 SH-AWD

That's a nice feature. I wasn't aware they had added that.

Edward'TLS

Even when the A/C is off, and the car gets stuck in stop-and-go traffic, I can hear the loud noise of the cooling fan(s) cycling with the window opened.

lji

^ I agree, it's quite annoying...

So, I got the car back after it being with the dealer for 2 whole days. I can't hear any rattles from the rear deck now and hopefully it's fixed for good...

The dealer also mentioned that initially they only fixed what the service bulletin told them to, but now they found another area in the rear deck where the noise was coming from. The service advisor mentioned that they took pics of the area where the noise was coming from and sent it over to Acura to add to the existing service bulletin.

parasitius

How much do rattle fixes typically cost if you have to pay (no warranty etc.)? I've been about driven insane, but I'm scared crapless of a $300 bill (especially if they keep it all day,.. that's like 8 billable hours possible)

lji

The car's under manufacturer warranty for 4yrs/50,000 miles. As long as your car is within these limits, you won't have to pay anything out of pocket.

parasitius

Wow. If only the previous owner wasn't a w****r and got it handled...

Unfortunately I'm about 80,000 miles and 1 year outside of that window (I know this is 4th gen forum sorry but I thought someone might know rough cost$)